1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens camera and in particular it relates to a zoom lens camera having an image size varying frame which is adapted to switch an image plane.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a camera having an extension type zoom lens barrel, a shutter unit provided in a zoom lens barrel is connected to a controller provided in a camera body through a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board which extends along the inner peripheral surface of the lens barrel. The lens barrel is moved forward or backward along the optical axis during the zooming operation. To this end, the FPC board is arranged to permit the lens barrel to extend or retract. Consequently, the FPC board can be loosened. In the kind of the zoom lens barrel, in order to prevent the loosened FPC board from hanging down into the light path, thus resulting in an interruption of the photographing operation, a receptacle or a pull mechanism which receives or pulls the loosened portion of the FPC board is provided on a lens frame or the like. However, in some conventional cameras, it is difficult to provide a space for accommodating such a receptacle. Moreover, the pull mechanism complicates the structure of the zoom lens barrel.
In a camera in which the size of the image plane is switched between a standard size and a laterally elongated size (panoramic size) in which upper and lower edges of a standard size are cut, the image size is varied by means of a movable image size varying frame which is moved in front of an aperture. In a zoom lens barrel, it is preferable that the rear end of the lens barrel in a retracted position be located as rearward as possible, i.e., as close to the aperture as possible to reduce the thickness of the camera when it is not in use. However, if the rear end of the lens barrel is located too close to the aperture in the retracted position, the components of the lens barrel may interfere with the image size varying frame which is provided in front of the aperture when the retracted position is deviated rearward from the correct position. If this occurs, it is impossible to extend or retract the lens barrel or to switch the image size. To avoid this, the rear end of the lens barrel in the retracted position is located sufficiently away from the size varying frame or a restriction plate is provided between the movable barrel member and the image size varying frame to restrict the movement of the rear end of the lens barrel. Thus, no interference occurs between the size varying frame and the barrel member. However, these solutions reduce the space utilization efficiency. Moreover, there is a danger of the FPC board protruding rearward and interfering with the image size varying frame.
The zoom lens barrel is often provided at its rear end with a light-interception plate which moves together with the lens barrel. The outer shape of the light-interception plate can be relatively freely designed so long as it is provided with a predetermined shape of opening.